Chapter 662: Come On, Rayquaza, How Many Do You Want to Fight?

Chapter 662: Come On, Rayquaza, How Many Do You Want to Fight? (Two-in-One, Requesting Monthly Votes!)

The next day.

Devon's private plane was headed to the Sky Pillar on Liyu Island.

Jing He had long been envious of such a private jet. However, considering his financial situation, he could only admire it from afar. If all else failed, he could always call on Da Wu, who wouldn't mind giving him a ride or picking him up.

What kind of teacher would he be if he didn't take advantage of such a willing student?

“Bark! ψ(｀)ψ”

I'm starting now!

Blastoise sat on the plane's floor, grabbing a handful of Diamonds and stuffing them into his mouth. Soon, the crisp "crunch, crunch" sounds filled the air.

If these Diamonds were like candy beans to Yuki in the past, they were now like rice to Blastoise.

The way he ate with such gusto and enthusiasm was enough to make Jing He and even Wally, who sat nearby, feel a bit uneasy.

“No wonder Jing He's Blastoise could challenge Groudon right after evolving.”

Wally sighed with genuine admiration.

“The amount of food it consumes is astounding. Jing He must have put in a lot of effort to raise his Pokémon.”

“Haha.” Jing He, holding a book, forced a smile.

“It’s not just about food.”

Da Wu chimed in.

“There are many wealthy people in the Pokémon world. Even if everyone tried to raise their Pokémon like Jing He, how many could truly achieve the same level with Blastoise?”

Wally nodded thoughtfully.

That was true.

Jing He's Blastoise.

Wally had witnessed its "friendly" relationship with Groudon yesterday, even learning moves from Groudon. It was almost like a "mini Groudon."

How many "mini Groudon" could there be in the Pokémon world?

Blastoise paid no attention to the praise from Da Wu and Wally, focusing solely on his meal.

After finishing the Diamonds, it took out an energy bar and a branch from the World Tree.

Others might say that eating meat without garlic is half the flavor, but for Blastoise, eating Diamonds without the tree was missing three parts of the taste.

“Bark~(￣~￣)”

Don’t worry, I’ll eat you without wasting a single bit!

After evolving, Yuki’s attributes changed to Dark and Rock. The four-times weakness to Water and Grass became a two-times weakness.

However, it wasn’t without a four-times weakness; Fighting-type moves were now its "fatal" weakness.

But Blastoise seemed to have some "experience" with this, seeking daily training with Bear to strengthen its resistance.

In this regard, Blastoise was quite intelligent.

“Hiss~”

Snivy lay on the plane's window, gazing at the sea of clouds below, its eyes flickering.

This was its first time on a plane, and it found the experience quite novel, different from riding on Dratini.

Jing He, leaning his head against the seat, was pondering a question.

The Sky Pillar, the Inheritor, Rayquaza—would Shizuna, the Meteor Person, appear?

In the plot of Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, Shizuna was the key to breaking the deadlock.

The thing Jing He remembered most about Shizuna was her somewhat unusual Pokémon lineup.

Five dragons, plus a Bidoof named "Shizuna."

In fact, "Shizuna" had a specific meaning. She was also a Meteor Person and an Inheritor, more accurately, the true Inheritor. Shizuna had taken over the position after the original Shizuna's unfortunate passing.

Indeed, the original Shizuna had already gained Rayquaza's recognition, while the current Shizuna was still working toward it.

However, considering that the "Rayquaza Capture Plan" had not been implemented, the sisters Shizuna and Shizuna might not exist.

“But the situation with Rayquaza...”

Jing He closed his eyes and gently stroked the belly of the Dratini resting beside him, using it and the Aura to try contacting Rayquaza again, but to no avail.

“Still the same.” Jing He slowly opened his eyes and sighed.

Putting aside their relationship, Rayquaza was fundamentally a very temperamental and proud Mythical Beast. Compared to the Black and White Dragons and Zygarde, it was much harder to communicate with.

One could say it was nearly impossible.

Rayquaza was born with a heart that looked down on everything.

And it had the power to back it up.

“If we were to fight...” Jing He silently calculated Rayquaza’s combat strength.

Compared to other Mythical Beasts—Groudon and Kyogre were a given, as even the two together wouldn’t stand a chance against Rayquaza.

Even if we compare it to the Temporal and Spatial Dragons of the Sinnoh region, Palkia and Dialga would struggle to defeat Giratina, let alone one of them overpowering the other two.

The Three Dragons of the Unova region are even more impressive.

Rayquaza truly demonstrated its power in the battle that made it a legend.

In the movie "The Aura of the Ultra God Hoopa", a black Rayquaza single-handedly fought against seven Mythical Beasts, a feat that left everyone in awe.

Although Jing He isn't sure if the Rayquaza he knows is the same as the black Rayquaza from the movie, its power is certainly not to be underestimated.

"Let's prepare for the worst."

Jing He rubbed his temples.

Giratina's absence from "home" was a real headache for him.

Jing He couldn't help but complain.

"Giratina? Not even a fraction of Hoopa."

In a remote, desert-like area on Liyu Island, a towering skyscraper stood, adorned with peculiar patterns, making it look quite impressive.

"Is this the Sky Pillar?"

Standing at the base of the tower and looking up, all they could see were clouds; the top of the tower was completely obscured.

"How come I didn't know the Sky Pillar was actually on Liyu Island?" Da Wu was surprised and curious.

"If it were any other time, this area would be filled with high-level wild Pokémon with strong territorial instincts. It would be hard to get close without the guidance of the Liyu People", Wally explained.

But because of Groudon's recent antics, the wild Pokémon had all hidden away. Otherwise, without Wally's guidance, approaching the area would still be quite troublesome.

Of course, with Jing He and Da Wu's strength, they could force their way through, and few wild Pokémon could stand in their way.

"The 'Meteor People' could build such a tower a thousand years ago. It seems they were quite powerful back then", Jing He remarked.

Wally nodded. "Indeed. Back then, we Liyu People were only considered vassals of the Meteor People."

Theoretically, the Liyu People only had the right to guard the Sky Pillar, but not to climb it. Only the chosen Meteor People were allowed to ascend.

"I've never been here before. Maybe there are some stones I haven't seen", Da Wu mumbled to himself.

Hmm?

Jing He and Wally looked at him.

Da Wu snapped back to reality and smiled. "Let's go up, then."

"Fly up?" Jing He tilted his head.

Wally replied, "We can't fly."

"According to the ancient texts I've read, the cloud layer above the Sky Pillar is Rayquaza's territory. Flying up there without permission would be seen as an act of aggression and would anger it."

Even the Meteor People were not allowed to fly up there without Rayquaza's approval.

"Tsk."

Jing He clicked his tongue.

This tower was so tall, who knew how many floors it had.

Besides the height, the Meteor People had also set up numerous traps inside the Sky Pillar, making it nearly impossible for most people to ascend. Only the Meteor People knew how to navigate these traps.

Additionally, there were many Pokémon active inside the Sky Pillar, such as a Claydol, which blocked Jing He and his companions.

Bang! Bang!

The large fists collided, creating a dull echo in the confined space.

"Golem!"

Golem flew out from Da Wu's waist, faster than Blastoise, and with one punch, it sent Claydol flying into the wall, rendering it unable to battle.

"Blastoise?"

Blastoise, who was about to attack, looked confused.

"Uh", Da Wu rubbed his nose, slightly apologetic. "Sorry, it's just a habit."

He had encountered Pokémon guarding ruins many times before, and Golem had always been the one to knock them out.

Cough, a bit too practiced.

Jing He patted Blastoise and looked up from the bottom of the Sky Pillar's interior.

All he could see were the ancient walls covered in intricate patterns and a spiral staircase that seemed to have no end.

He opened his mouth.

"Hiruna would be ecstatic if she saw this place."

But to climb it step by step?

Even without considering attacks and traps, it would take days to reach the top.

"Dratini", Jing He called softly.

"Wha?"

The Poké Ball opened, and a red light formed into Dratini, which came out on its own.

Jing He climbed onto its back and grabbed the harness.

"Teacher Jing He, we can't fly", Wally quickly said.

"Rules are dead, but people are alive. We'll fly close to the stairs", Jing He replied.

Really climb it?

We're not Meteor People, so we don't need to have a pilgrimage mindset. Just getting the idea across is enough.

Although they came here to seek Rayquaza's help, it's not like they absolutely need to rely on Rayquaza.

No big deal.

Two Deoxys plus Mewtwo—there’s no way they can’t handle that meteorite.

If Rayquaza is willing to help, we’ll give it the glory it deserves. If not, we’ll help it gain that glory!

Wally and Da Wu exchanged a glance.

Considering the imminent meteorite crisis, taking drastic measures seemed understandable.

So, they both climbed onto Golem’s back, following Dratini as it clung to the stairs and flew upward toward the top of the Sky Pillar.

Along the way, they encountered some Pokémon like Claydol, but it was clear that these Pokémon were not enough to stop Jing He and his companions.

In many cases, Jing He’s Snivy could handle most of the trouble.

Snivy let out a sharp hiss.

Snivy stood on Dratini’s head, using Vine Whip to knock a Baltoy away.

To be honest, most of the Pokémon inside the Sky Pillar were Ground or Rock types, and they couldn’t stand up to Snivy’s attacks.

Wally and Da Wu, who were following behind, couldn’t help but marvel at Jing He’s expertise in training Pokémon, which was clearly ahead of the entire Pokémon world.

“Which floor are we on?” Jing He asked, looking back.

“Forty-eight,” Da Wu replied.

Forty-eight.

Judging by the trend, the fiftieth floor should be the top of the Sky Pillar.

Looking down from Dratini’s back was quite terrifying.

Jing He remembered that in the game Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, there was a Level 70 Rayquaza at the top of the Sky Pillar. Capturing it would allow one to encounter a Level 80 Deoxys.

So, the reason Rayquaza couldn’t defeat Deoxys was simply due to the level difference!

Hmm?

Just as they were about to ascend to the forty-ninth floor, they heard some strange noises.

“It sounds like... someone?” Da Wu also noticed this.

Someone?

On the forty-ninth floor?

Why didn’t they see any signs of human activity or footsteps along the way?

And who would come to the Sky Pillar at this time?

Jing He and Da Wu both looked at Wally, the “Guardian” of the Sky Pillar.

Noticing their gazes, Wally’s eyes twitched, and he shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

“Let’s check it out.”

In the end, Jing He led the way, flying to the forty-ninth floor.

And there they saw...

A tent made of some unknown material, its style clearly out of place for the times, situated in the middle of the forty-ninth floor. In front of it were items like a campfire and cooking utensils.

Most importantly, they saw a figure climbing the stairs from the forty-ninth to the fiftieth floor.

They couldn’t make out the figure’s appearance clearly, just a head of long black hair and a wide cloak that seemed to cover tight-fitting clothes, reminiscent of ancient times.

It was somewhat similar to Jing He’s impression of Shizuna.

Meteor People?

“Someone is living here?”

Da Wu and Wally, who had just caught up, also noticed the tent and the signs of life in front of it.

Wally’s expression was stunned.

As the Guardian of the Sky Pillar, he was completely unaware that someone was living on the forty-ninth floor!

“No, from the signs, it looks like they’ve only been here for a few days,” Da Wu shook his head.

A few days?

Jing He frowned slightly.

A sudden, faint sense of danger rose in his mind, and he immediately shouted:

“Be careful!”

At the same time, a sound wave traveled from the corner of the stairs between the forty-ninth and fiftieth floors, rippling outward.

“Woo!”

Dratini folded its wings and then quickly spread them again, releasing two bright white air blades that sliced through the incoming sound wave, causing it to dissipate.

“Huh?”

A puzzled exclamation came from the corner.

Then, the person who made the sound appeared in Jing He’s line of sight. It was the girl he had seen, a girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old.

Shizuna?

No.

This is Xizuna?

By her side was a Noivern, which had clearly been the source of the earlier attack.

“Humans?” Xizuna was somewhat surprised.

When she went up, Noivern heard the commotion below and hurried back.

She thought it was just another wild Pokémon that had wandered up to the forty-ninth floor, but it turned out to be a few humans.

And they seemed quite powerful.

While her Noivern’s attack wasn’t at full strength, it shouldn’t have been so easily defeated.

Xizuna frowned again.

Apart from the Meteor People, no one else should be here.

Jing He and the others, especially Wally, sized up the girl, and a realization gradually dawned in his eyes.

“Are you an ‘Inheritor’?” Wally suddenly asked.

Shizuna's gaze fell on him, and when she noticed the special mark on Wally, she understood.

"Are you a Guardian?"

Wally jumped down from Da Wu's Metagross, placed his right hand over his chest, and bowed slightly in a noble gesture.

"I am Wally."

He then introduced Jing He and Da Wu, who had also landed.

"These two are Da Wu Zufu from Devon Corporation, and Professor Jing He, the Messenger of Mythical Beasts."

Introducing Da Wu was straightforward, but Wally struggled for a moment before finally coming up with "Messenger of Mythical Beasts" for Jing He.

Shizuna didn't react much, but Jing He's lips twitched involuntarily.

What a ridiculous "Messenger of Mythical Beasts."

Shizuna nodded, placed her right hand over her chest, and bowed slightly.

"I am Shizuna, the current Inheritor of the Meteor People."

So, it is Shizuna!

Jing He glanced at her, then at Da Wu.

What a twisted fate.

In the special chapter, Shizuna had gained Rayquaza's recognition and officially became the Inheritor. However, this coincided with the League's "Rayquaza Capture Plan."

Led by the League, funded by the Berlitz family, and with technical assistance from Devon Corporation and Big Violets Holding Company, the plan's key component was the weapon "Flower", developed using "Infinity Energy" and ultimate weaponry.

"Flower" utilized Infinity Energy to weaken the target's body, including Rayquaza.

During the operation, Shizuna used the Mega Bracelet and a large number of Keystone stones to help Rayquaza achieve Mega Evolution and attempt a breakout.

However, the breakout failed, and Rayquaza was captured, leading to Shizuna's death.

This set the stage for the story of Shizuna.

After introducing herself, Shizuna furrowed her brow and said:

"Even as a Guardian, you shouldn't be here, let alone—"

But she shook her head, interrupting herself.

"Never mind. I suppose you came here because of the awakening of Groudon and Kyogre. But you don't need to worry; I will gain the Dragon Deity's recognition and resolve this crisis."

With that, she flicked her cloak and turned to head back up to the fiftieth floor.

She added:

"Leave quickly. The Dragon Deity's authority must not be violated. Appearing before the Dragon Deity without permission could invoke wrath."

With that, she quickly ascended the stairs.

The longer the Groudon and Kyogre chaos continued, the more destruction would befall Hoenn. She had to gain the Dragon Deity's recognition as soon as possible.

She had been lingering here for several days.

Today was the final test!

Shizuna unconsciously touched the scroll in her pocket.

It must succeed!

For Hoenn, for everyone!

As Shizuna disappeared again, Wally opened his mouth, about to say that the two gods had already been defeated by Professor Jing He.

But Shizuna had already run up the stairs.

"Much gentler than Shizuna", Jing He muttered under his breath.

Shizuna, who inherited her predecessor's will, was almost like a villain, especially towards Devon Corporation, often resorting to harsh measures.

But this Shizuna seemed much better.

Perhaps it was because she hadn't experienced the death of her close friend yet.

"Teacher, what should we do?" Da Wu asked, glancing at the entrance to the fiftieth floor.

"Go."

Jing He patted Dratini's shoulder and walked towards the stairs.

Our Snivy was talking about defeating the "Green Worm" yesterday. We should give it a chance.

And it seems the reason we couldn't contact Rayquaza was that it was testing the Inheritor.

At the top of the Sky Pillar.

The top floor, above the clouds, offered a view of the Sky Pillar's platform and an endless sea of clouds, with a subtle sense of awe enveloping the area.

Shizuna adjusted her cloak, exposing her mouth, and exhaled, a wisp of white mist accompanying her breath.

The air at this altitude, close to the ozone layer, was extremely thin.

If not for her special constitution, standing on the top of the Sky Pillar would easily cause dizziness due to lack of oxygen.

Rumble—

As Shizuna appeared, the clouds around the top of the Sky Pillar began to churn, and the ozone concentration spiked.

Even Shizuna, who had been here a few times, couldn't help but show a tense expression, her face paling slightly.

She wasn't sure if it was due to the cold, the thin air, or the great presence about to emerge from the clouds!

"Dragon Deity!" Shizuna placed her right hand over her chest and bowed respectfully, awaiting the Dragon Deity's arrival.

"Huh?"

A sound came from behind her.

Shizuna's heart tightened.

How did they still come up?

She had warned them that their presence could anger the great Dragon Deity. If their appearance caused her to fail the test, this crisis for Hoenn...

She should have driven them away. Shizuna felt a bit regretful.

Although those people didn't seem weak, she saw Snivy.

Someone who still owns a starter Pokémon—how strong could they possibly be?

Rumble—

The sea of clouds surged once again.

“‘Green Worm’ is about to appear. Are you ready?” Jing He said to Snivy with a teasing tone.

It let out a defiant hiss!

It’s just a measly Green Worm!

But Snivy soon realized something was off.

Wait a minute.

How could a Green Worm live in a place like this?

A faint green glow rippled through the cloud sea, and an enormous figure emerged, accompanied by a sweeping gale and roaring air currents.

Bang!!

The mist suddenly dispersed.

A massive green dragon, with piercing golden eyes, appeared before Xizuna and Jing He!

The ultra-ancient Mythical Beast, the Sky Deity, Rayquaza!

“S-s-s-hiss? (Д)σ”

You call that a Green Worm?

But remembering the tough words he had spoken yesterday, Snivy gritted his teeth, jumped off Dratini’s head, and walked toward Rayquaza with a determined, “The wind is cold and the water is cold” expression, lips tightly pressed together.

Words spoken in haste must be followed through, no matter what!

Seeing this, Jing He quickly grabbed the little guy, holding him in his arms as the struggling weakened.

“Alright, alright, I was just joking with you.”

Snivy let out a defiant hiss, its expression a mix of frustration and disappointment, as if to say, "You think you can fool me with your teasing?"

Xizuna didn’t pay attention to the commotion behind her. She only wanted to pass the test before the “Dragon Deity” got truly angry!

She hurriedly said, “Great ‘Dragon Deity,’ I am here to complete the final Inheritor’s test!”

She clenched the scroll in her pocket.

Rayquaza watched Xizuna.

It had been three days.

Since the Rainbow Meteorite appeared and it received the power of the Rainbow Meteorite, this girl from the Meteor People had come to the Sky Pillar, saying she needed its approval.

As the deity revered by the Meteor People, Rayquaza had an understanding with them.

Thus, it accepted the girl’s test application.

Honestly,

Rayquaza already had some approval for Xizuna. Otherwise, the test wouldn’t have lasted until the third day.

But

A man appeared.

Rayquaza’s gaze lingered on Jing He.

This was a decision.

Delicious food or a gentle, adorable girl.

Such a difficult choice.

【You】

Rayquaza’s voice echoed.

【Defeat him!】

Its gaze fell on Jing He.

Defeat him?

Xizuna turned around, looking at Jing He with some shock.

She hadn’t expected the final test to be defeating this sudden stranger?

Is the “Dragon Deity” testing my strength?

Xizuna’s expression turned serious.

Although she wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about battles, if it was the “Dragon Deity’s” request...

“Sorry,” Xizuna said apologetically to Jing He, “For Hoenn, to calm Groudon and Kyogre.”

But Jing He’s reaction went beyond Xizuna’s comprehension.

“Nonsense!”

Jing He waved his hand irritably, turned around, and walked toward the lower levels of the Sky Pillar, carrying Snivy.

“I was worried you might have run into trouble, unable to contact you. Now it seems... you were just bored. Good to know you’re fine. Let’s go.”

Da Wu and Wally looked at Rayquaza, then at Jing He, swallowing hard.

Teacher Jing He is...

They were stunned, and Xizuna was no exception. Her eyes were wide open, her mouth agape, as she stared at Jing He.

Hum—

The cloud sea suddenly churned, and the path back to the 49th floor was obscured by mist.

Seeing this, Jing He stopped, raised an eyebrow, and turned to face Rayquaza, his gaze passing over Xizuna.

Suddenly, he broke into a broad smile, the same kind of smile Gengar had.

“Alright. Fighting a little girl isn’t interesting. Let’s do this!”

“Woof—”

“Roar—”

Two figures shot up from the lower levels of the Sky Pillar, reaching the top in a matter of seconds.

Reshiram!

Zekrom!

From the shadows of Jing He, Darkrai and Gengar also emerged, the black fog swirling around them.

In the gust of wind, Jing He’s cloak fluttered as he looked straight at Rayquaza and said:

“Speak. How many do you want to fight? Five? Seven? Nine? You name it.”

Hum—

A familiar yet strange aura enveloped Jing He.

Truth, ideals, frost, time, space, antimatter, life, psychic...

Faint outlines of these entities began to materialize.

At his chest, Arceus’ Thousand Epochs Bracelet glowed with intense heat, seemingly bringing these “representatives” to life.

Xizuna’s eyes widened, her mouth agape, as she stared at Jing He in disbelief.

This, he, Dragon...

Rayquaza’s expression stiffened.

I said this was a joke. Do you believe me?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end